Saracens’s Champions Cup match against Clermont Auvergne will take place on Monday at Allianz Park, 24 hours after it was postponed due to “hazardous conditions” around the stadium.
The decision to postpone the match was taken due to bad weather on Sunday, but it will now kick-off at 5.30pm GMT with spectators allowed to attend, Saracens have confirmed. This decision runs contrary to initial concerns over the conditions in the vicinity of the stadium which prompted a decision from the tournament organisers to play the match behind closed doors “due to health and safety concerns”.
“Stadium staff have been working closely with EPCR (European Professional Club Rugby) to try and ensure this fixture takes place in front of fans – having assessed the stadium facilities overnight, we can now advise that all tickets from yesterday are valid today and the stadium will be open for fans to come and watch the game,” read a club statement on Monday morning.
Confirmation the match would be played was made late on Sunday night by the tournament organiser and came after hours of discussions. The incentive to arrange the match on Monday was obvious, with fixture congestion such that there are no free weekends before the scheduled conclusion of the pool stage in January.
Clermont released a statement on social media saying: “We are very disappointed for the many supporters who had made the trip to England and who had to return to France without seeing the match against Saracens due to the inability of the club and local authorities to get access to the stadium possible.”
It is also believed the match will be shown on BT Sport, as planned on Sunday. European Professional Club Rugby added in its statement: “[WE] would like to thank all match-ticket holders for their understanding.”
Saracens and Clermont are the top two sides in Pool 2 and Sunday was set to mark their first meeting since last season’s final. It is understood however, that neither team was able to safely travel to the council-owned stadium in north London. “Due to hazardous conditions on the approach roads to Allianz Park, and in the immediate vicinity of the stadium, it was decided not to play the match as scheduled with the health and safety of spectators, players and staff in mind,” read a statement from EPCR on Sunday.
In December 2010, Edinburgh’s Heineken Cup match against Castres was postponed for 24 hours due to similar weather concerns and played behind closed doors at Murrayfield on the Monday afternoon. In November 2015 however, Bath’s match in Toulon was called off due to the Paris terror attacks and was not replayed until the New Year with their Premiership fixture against Sale rescheduled.
(Guardian service)
